When I did some research on the Internet I discovered that there are a lot of famous people who meditate. That makes sense. Not because meditation is some kind of ‘road to success’ but because it is a way to stay sane, focused and energized. And that is something the successful, rich and famous definitely need. Read their stories in this blog.
Meditation is not ‘hack’ to become successful. It is a tool to relax and sharpen your mind. Which – in turn – may make you more successful. But that should not be the reason for meditation. Still, I discovered that there are a lot of famous people who meditate. Keep reading.
Ten famous people who meditate
Oprah Winfrey
The famous talkshow host has been practicing meditation everyday since she invited meditation teachers to the studio in 2011 to lead the entire company together in meditation at the beginning and end of the work day.
She said: “That way of being ‘still’ with ourselves—coming back to the center and recognizing that something is more important than you—it’s more important than the work you are doing, brings a kind of energy, an intention that we have never had before.”
Hugh Jackman
Jackman’s secret to enduring his intense fitness regime is meditation.
In an interview with Oprah, the actor has said, “In meditation, I can let go of everything. I’m not Hugh Jackman. I’m not dad. I’m not a husband. I’m just dipping into that powerful source that creates everything. I take a little bath in it.”
Richard Gere
The actor is a committed student of Zen Buddhism and close friend of the Dalai Lama. He depends on Buddhism to wind down from the financial pressures, deadlines, and overall stress of producing movies.
He said: “It helps me set my motivation for the day.”
Paul McCartney
Sir Paul McCartney has been meditating for more than 40 years. He started after he met the founder of Transcendental Meditation, Marishi Mahesh Yogi in 1967.
He said: “I was personally not in a good place. I think I was just overdoing it in the 60’s, so I was just not very centered. And I was looking for something.”
Bill Gates
The Microsoft founder just recently started meditating. He now meditates two or three times a week, for about 10 minutes each time. Usually together with his wife Melinda Gates.
He said: “I now see that meditation is simply exercise for the mind, similar to the way we exercise our muscles when we play sports. For me, it has nothing to do with faith or mysticism. It’s about taking a few minutes out of my day, learning how to pay attention to the thoughts in my head, and gaining a little bit of distance from them.”
Jerry Seinfeld
He said: “With Seinfeld, I was doing a TV series in which I was the star of the show, the executive producer of the show, the head writer, in charge of casting and editing, for 24 episodes on network television—not cable—for nine years!”
“And I’m just a normal guy. And that was not a normal situation to be in… So I meditated every day. And that’s how I survived the nine years.”
Timothy Ferriss
Timothy wrote the bestseller “The 4 hour workweek”. He said: “So meditation, or mindfulness practice, it’s really about, to me, decreasing emotional reactivity so you can proactively create your day and create your life; versus, just being a walking reflex that sometimes screws up.”
Clint Eastwood
He said: “I meditate twice a day. It works great. I’m religious about it when I’m working. I believe in whatever self-help you can give yourself. So meditation with me was just a self-reliant thing. I’ve been doing it almost forty years.”
Sting
The famous musician said “I live on the Upper West Side, and my studio was in Hell’s Kitchen. I walked to work every day, and on the way, I had to stop at 57th because it’s a two-way street. Traffic is busy, cab drivers trying to kill you, as you know. I would just use that time to do a little meditation on the corner: think about the work I’m doing in the studio, about my life, the privilege I have living here in the city.”
Tom Hanks
The actor recalls a conversation he had with Jerry Seinfeld: “I meet Jerry Seinfeld and he says to me, „So, what are you up to now?” I said, “Actually, I’ve just finished a job and I’m going to take a year off.”
At the time, Hanks had been working a lot for the previous six years and felt the need to stay off the clock for a while.
Seinfeld was puzzled by Hanks’ plan for a sabbatical so one of America’s favorite movie stars felt the need to explain.
“I have to tell you I’m fatigued. I’m spent, I’m tired. I need to be quiet for a while. I need to rest.”
Seinfeld responded, “So you’re tired? Well why don’t you do meditation?”
